Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

bioinformatics

American  
[bahy-oh-in-fer-mat-iks] / ˌbaɪ oʊˌɪn fərˈmæt ɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)
  1. the retrieval and analysis of biochemical and biological data using mathematics and computer science, as in the study of genomes.


bioinformatics British  
/ ˌbaɪəʊˌɪnfəˈmætɪks /

noun

  1. the branch of information science concerned with large databases of biochemical or pharmaceutical information

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bioinformatics Scientific  
/ bī′ō-ĭn′fər-mătĭks /
  1. Information technology as applied to the life sciences, especially the technology used for the collection and analysis of genomic data.


Etymology

Origin of bioinformatics

First recorded in 1975–80; bio- ( def. ) + informatics ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The ability to snack on synthetic carbon may confer a crucial survival advantage, noted Intikhab Alam, a senior bioinformatics researcher and co-leader of the study.

From Science Daily • Nov. 4, 2025

Current bioinformatics tools can’t scan this much data all at once, especially for sequences that haven’t yet been assembled into genomes.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 5, 2024

This detailed characterization work provides the community with simple-to-use methods and freely accessible bioinformatics data that will greatly facilitate future studies of eosinophils.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2024

"It was a long and painstaking piece of detective work," says Bernhard Tschitschko, first author of the study and an expert in bioinformatics, "but ultimately, the genome solved many mysteries."

From Science Daily • May 9, 2024

Then, they used mass spectrometry data and bioinformatics software to identify the types and relative abundance of proteins in the samples.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "bioinformatics" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com